# Why does my HP printer show offline? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542 "2018-12-22T18:07:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/1 "2018-12-22T18:07:46Z")
I don’t think this is unique to my setup because I had this same problem at work with a different printer. The issue is Win7, drivers and HP laser printers. The printer shows as offline and because there is no way to tell Windows it is online so it is impossible to print. Yes I’ve tried the troubleshooter and that is worthless. Ultimately the solution is to completely re-install the printer (and yes I have updated the driver off the HP site). BUT in a while the printer shows offline again and I can’t convince Win7 that it really is online. So why is it doing this and is there any solution to the problem? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/2 "2018-12-22T18:23:25Z")
Just to add, rebooting the computer does not solve the problem. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/3 "2018-12-22T19:06:53Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I don’t think this is unique to my setup because I had this same problem at work with a different printer. The issue is Win7, drivers and HP laser printers. The printer shows as offline and because there is no way to tell Windows it is online so it is impossible to print. Yes I’ve tried the troubleshooter and that is worthless. Ultimately the solution is to completely re-install the printer (and yes I have updated the driver off the HP site). BUT in a while the printer shows offline again and I can’t convince Win7 that it really is online. > > So why is it doing this and is there any solution to the problem? You are running Windows 7. Does the model HP printer have a driver that is supported on Windows 7? You said it is HP Laser. Is this with Jet Direct? How do you have the printer connected? Is it on the LAN or is it connected via USB? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/4 "2018-12-22T20:26:21Z")
Is it a wireless printer? Every so often my computer and printer end up connected to different networks, i.e. one to the guest network and the other to the home network making the printer appear offline. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/5 "2018-12-22T22:01:37Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > Is it a wireless printer? This is a good question. I have a wireless HP printer, and it goes offline all the time. I have to go and unplug the printer and then plug it back in for it to work. Sometimes that doesn’t work, and I have to delete the printer from my computer and then re-add it. I’m sure it has something to do with DHCP, but I’m too lazy to fix it. Quite annoying though. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/6 "2018-12-23T00:54:55Z")
I have an Epson printer, connected (not wireless) to my Mac. Whenever I print something, I get a message: “The printer is not connected.” I tried everything imaginable to get rid of the message. But it prints anyway, so I just ignore the message. ---
**Author:** ![lurcio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b77776/32.png) [@lurcio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurcio)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/7 "2018-12-23T17:34:15Z")
Can try :- Control Panel Devices & Printers Right click on the printer and select Printer Properties Select the Ports tab Highlight the port that has a tick in it Click Configure Port Untick box that says SNMP Status Enabled OK out of all dialog boxes. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/8 "2018-12-24T02:03:59Z")
It is a JetDirect hooked up to the network trough the router. I’ll try the SNMP box next time and update. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2018, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/9 "2018-12-25T01:36:10Z")
This sort of thing commonly occurs when a printer is added by IP address, but the print server is configured via DHCP and the DHCP-assigned IP address changes. The easiest solution is to assign a static reservation to the print server on the router and update the computer to use the new IP address, which will now stay consistent. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-hp-printer-show-offline/826542/10 "2018-12-27T03:01:04Z")
> [@Cleophus](#): > > This sort of thing commonly occurs when a printer is added by IP address, but the print server is configured via DHCP and the DHCP-assigned IP address changes. The easiest solution is to assign a static reservation to the print server on the router and update the computer to use the new IP address, which will now stay consistent. Maybe in your part of the universe, not in mine. My wireless printer has been on a static IP since day one. My Win10 desktop has issues finding it, especially after the printer goes into energy saver mode. It would be hardwired except for needing it from my daughter’s laptop. Every 4-6 weeks or so I go round and round with reboots and drivers and address changes to print something. And the hurrier I am, the more likely it is to mess up.